Abstract: A shroud cooling system configured to cool a shroud adjacent to an airfoil within a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The turbine engine shroud may be formed from shroud segments that include a plurality of cooling air supply channels extending through a forward shroud support for impingement of cooling air onto an outer radial surface of the shroud segment with respect to the inner turbine section of the turbine engine. The channels may extend at various angles to increase cooling efficiency. The backside surface may also include various cooling enhancement components configured to assist in directing, dispersing, concentrating, or distributing cooling air impinged thereon from the channels to provide enhanced cooling at the backside surface. The shroud cooling system may be used to slow down the thermal response by isolating a turbine vane carrier from the cooling fluids while still providing efficient cooling to the shroud.

Abstract: A turbine blade airfoil (32) with a center of mass (ACM) that is laterally offset from the center of mass (PCM) of a platform (42) to which the airfoil is attached. Respective offsets (da, dp) balance these centers of mass (ACM, PCM) about an attachment plane (64) of the blade root (30), providing balanced centrifugal loading on opposite lobes (51, 52) or other attachment surfaces of the root. The attachment plane (64) may be a plane of bilateral symmetry of the root, and/or it may include an attachment axis (65) that passes through the root center of mass (RCM) along a radius of rotation of the airfoil. The airfoil and platform centers of mass (ACM, PCM) may be dynamically balanced about the attachment axis (65) and/or the attachment plane (64).

Abstract: A shroud cooling system (100) configured to cool a shroud (50) adjacent to an airfoil within a gas turbine engine (10) is disclosed. The turbine engine shroud (50) may be formed from shroud segments (34) that include a plurality of cooling air supply channels (40) extending through a forward shroud support (52) for impingement of cooling air onto an outer radial surface of the shroud segment (34) with respect to the inner turbine section of the turbine engine (10). The channels (40) may extend at various angles (42) to increase cooling efficiency. The backside surface (62) may also include various cooling enhancement components configured to assist in directing, dispersing, concentrating, or distributing cooling air impinged thereon from the channels (40) to provide enhanced cooling at the backside surface (62).

Abstract: A solar panel mounting system includes first and second mounting supports, at least one having a lower mounting ledge, and at least the other having an upper mounting ledge. At least two brackets each have a first platform coupled to the lower mounting ledge and a second platform spaced apart therefrom. Each bracket includes a first hinge portion with a curved channel and a first catch. A first frame, at a first end, has a panel gripping portion for gripping an edge of a solar panel oriented generally parallel to the lower mounting ledge, and at an opposing second end has a second hinge portion with a flange and a curved hook extending therefrom. The first hinge portion is configured to rotatably receive the second hinge portion. The hook is received in the channel and retained by the first catch and the flange is supported on the second platform.

Abstract: A gas turbine having rotor discs (9), a disc cavity (13) and a stator stage (25) extending to the disc cavity (13). Seal housing flanges (43, 44) extend from a seal housing (29) of the stator stage (25). Rotor flanges (41i, 41o) extend from a rotor disk (9-1). An inner rotor flange (41i) and first seal housing flange (43) are inward from a second seal housing flange (44). One rotor flange (41o) is outward from the second seal housing flange (44). The inner rotor flange (41i) and first seal housing flange (43) extend toward one another to limit movement of main gas flow (17). An inlet (47) injects air (50) between the outward rotor flange (41o) and second seal housing flange (44).

Abstract: A solar panel mounting system includes first and second mounting supports, at least one having a lower mounting ledge, and at least the other having an upper mounting ledge. At least two brackets each have a first platform coupled to the lower mounting ledge and a second platform spaced apart therefrom. Each bracket includes a first hinge portion with a curved channel and a first catch. A first frame, at a first end, has a panel gripping portion for gripping an edge of a solar panel oriented generally parallel to the lower mounting ledge, and at an opposing second end has a second hinge portion with a flange and a curved hook extending therefrom. The first hinge portion is configured to rotatably receive the second hinge portion. The hook is received in the channel and retained by the first catch and the flange is supported on the second platform.

Abstract: A solar panel mounting system includes first and second mounting supports, at least one having a lower mounting ledge, and at least the other having an upper mounting ledge. At least two brackets each have a first platform coupled to the lower mounting ledge and a second platform spaced apart therefrom. Each bracket includes a first hinge portion with a curved channel and a first catch. A first frame, at a first end, has a panel gripping portion for gripping an edge of a solar panel oriented generally parallel to the lower mounting ledge, and at an opposing second end has a second hinge portion with a flange and a curved hook extending therefrom. The first hinge portion is configured to rotatably receive the second hinge portion. The hook is received in the channel and retained by the first catch and the flange is supported on the second platform.

Abstract: A gas turbine having rotor discs (9), a disc cavity (13) and a stator stage (25) extending to the disc cavity (13). Seal housing flanges (43, 44) extend from a seal housing (29) of the stator stage (25). Rotor flanges (41i, 41o) extend from a rotor disk (9-1). An inner rotor flange (41i) and first seal housing flange (43) are inward from a second seal housing flange (44). One rotor flange (41o) is outward from the second seal housing flange (44). The inner rotor flange (41i) and first seal housing flange (43) extend toward one another to limit movement of main gas flow (17). An inlet (47) injects air (50) between the outward rotor flange (41o) and second seal housing flange (44).

Abstract: A turbine blade (110) is provided, where an exterior surface of the turbine blade (110) is exposed to a hot combustion gas (125) above a flow path line (141). The turbine blade (110) includes a trailing edge pin bank cooling channel (118) in an airfoil section (112), a cooling air supply channel (120) in a root section (114), and a channel (122) shaped with a radius of curvature (126), to extend the channel (122) across the flow path line (141) and interconnect the cooling air supply channel (120) to the trailing edge pin bank cooling channel (118). A width of the trailing edge pin bank cooling channel (118) is adjusted, such that the width at an inner diameter region (128) and an outer diameter region (131) is less than the width at an intermediate region (130) between the inner and outer diameter regions (128,131).

Abstract: A turbine blade airfoil (32) with a center of mass (ACM) that is laterally offset from the center of mass (PCM) of a platform (42) to which the airfoil is attached. Respective offsets (da, dp) balance these centers of mass (ACM, PCM) about an attachment plane (64) of the blade root (30), providing balanced centrifugal loading on opposite lobes (51, 52) or other attachment surfaces of the root. The attachment plane (64) may be a plane of bilateral symmetry of the root, and/or it may include an attachment axis (65) that passes through the root center of mass (RCM) along a radius of rotation of the airfoil. The airfoil and platform centers of mass (ACM, PCM) may be dynamically balanced about the attachment axis (65) and/or the attachment plane (64).

Abstract: A turbine airfoil including a structural support system formed from chordal ribs within an internal cooling system in the airfoil. The chordal ribs forming the structural support system may be positioned in a cooling fluid supply channel in the hollow airfoil that is positioned proximate to a trailing edge cooling channel. The trailing edge cooling channel may include a plurality of pin fins forming a pin fin bank extending between inner surfaces of the pressure side wall and suction side wall. The chordal ribs may protrude from an inner surface of the outer wall of the hollow airfoil and extend in a general chordwise direction from a mid-chord region of the hollow airfoil to the trailing edge and into the pin fin bank. The structural support system reduces stresses proximate to the pin fins in the pin fin bank closest to the mid-chord region of the airfoil.

Abstract: The invention concerns a fractionation process for the production of triglycerides with at least 12 wt % SSU (S=saturated fatty acids; U=unsaturated fatty acids) by subjecting a fat with at least 5 wt % SSU to a fractionation, achieving an enrichment factor fo the SSU enrichment of at least 1.